In a bizarre incident, about 50 girl students of Bodhjung Girls' School fell sick in school time due to severe abdominal pain with stomach disorder and vomiting shortly after coming to school for suspected food poisoning. Amidst hue and cry, among them 15 students were admitted to GB Hospital and 35 more students were given necessary medicines at the school complex.

Hospital sources said that all the admitted students are in stable condition and Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha also visited the hospital. The Chief Minister has also ordered an investigation and has also directed the GB Hospital authorities to ensure proper medical care to all affected students.

Dr Saha in his social media post wrote, “I have been informed about the illness of students at Bodhjung Girls School, the government is taking the issue very seriously. GB Hospital authority has already been ordered to ensure treatment of sick students with highest priority. As well, administrative responsible officers have been ordered to investigate this entire matter.”

While, on Thursday morning, this incident has caused a furore and the DM (West Tripura) Dr Vishal Kumar rushed to the school after receiving information of the incident.

Sources in the Girls Bodhjung School said that 30 students of the school, most of them tribals, reside in the ‘Maharaja Hostel’ of the school located in Indiranagar area of the town. On Thursday morning the students had lunch with rice, ‘dal’ and Soyabean curry and came to the school. But shortly after coming to school at least 50 of the inmates of the hostel complained of severe stomach pain and started vomiting. This caused a furore and many guardians and teachers of the school got restless before finally calling in an ambulance which took the sick students to GB Hospital.

Among the affected students 15 were admitted to GB Hospital and 35 more students were given necessary medicines at the school complex, said DM (West) Dr Vishal Kumar and added that the condition of all students is stable and they all are improving.

Speaking to the media, one of the school teachers said, the students from Maharaja Bir Bikram Welfare Society Hostel started experiencing abdominal pain and vomiting after reaching school on Thursday morning. Some of them even fainted. Around 15 students were reported to be unwell. Four ambulances were immediately dispatched to the spot and the students were taken to GBP Hospital for treatment. The cause of the mass illness is yet to be ascertained; school authorities suspected food poisoning.

One of the students shared that they had dal-bhat (lentils and rice) for breakfast and then went to school for their examinations and after reaching the school, they suddenly started feeling severe abdominal pain and vomiting. A parent alleged that the food served at the Maharaja Bir Bikram Welfare Society Hostel is very poor quality without any nutritious value.

While, DM, Dr Vishal Kumar said that the administration will enquire about the entire episode and authorities have also taken samples of hostel food items. He also assured proper enquiry to be conducted.